Birdswing Birding & Wildlife Tours Pelagic trip off Port Fairy, Victoria
Sunday 15th September 2013
Observers: Neil Macumber (organiser and report writer), Kev Lobotomi, Scott
Baker, Geoff Glare, Anne Looney, John Stirling, Clive Curson, Rob Layton,
Jane Hayes, John Hill, Roger McAuley, John Rugg.
Conditions: When we left port and headed out of the river it was calm seas
with 95% clear skies and sunny conditions. There was a half to one metre
swell and a very slight breeze. Later in the day seas moderated even
further.
Overview: Departed the Port Fairy wharf at 0710hrs EST along the Moyne
River out to sea heading at 213˚and boat speed of 12 knots. It was a very
calm sunny day.
A good mix of birds was seen in small numbers until we made our first stop
at the shelf.
On our way out to the shelf we saw quite a few Shy albatross and a number
of Fluttering Shearwaters and Gannets.
At our first stop we had Fairy Prions, 40 plus Shy Albatross, one Yellow-
nosed Albatross, 4 Crested Terns, 2 White-fronted terns, 2 Great-winged
Petrels, 2 Northern and one Southern Giant Petrel, 12 Short-tailed
Shearwaters, one Flesh-footed Shearwater and one Bullers Shearwater.
At our second stop was in 204 fathoms. We saw Great-winged Petrels,
Crested terns, Australasian Gannet, Brown Skua, up to 80 Shy Albatross,
Huttons Shearwater, Northern Giant Petrel, Fairy Prion and finally some
Black-browed Albatross.
On our return we sighted Sooty Shearwater making it six Shearwaters for the
trip. It was good to see 50 plus common dolphins with juveniles. Bird of
the day was Bullers Shearwater.
Birds: 18 species off shore
Pelagic Species: - Little Penguin, Shy Albatross, Black-browed Albatross,
Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross, Northern Giant Petrel, Southern Giant
Petrel, Fairy Prion, Great-winged Petrel, Hutton's Shearwater, Fluttering
Shearwater, Short-tailed Shearwater, Flesh-footed Shearwater, Sooty
Shearwater, Bullers Shearwater, Australasian Gannet, Crested Tern, White-
fronted Tern and Brown Skua
Species seen in shore: - Masked Lapwing, Kelp and Silver Gull, Little Black
Cormorant, Black-faced Shag, Caspian tern and a Common Sandpiper.
Mammals: Saw an Australian Fur Seal & 50 plus Common Dolphins travelling
with young.
Dates for remainder of 2013 Trips: Sunday 13 October, 27 October, 17
November and 1 December. Proposed dates to June 2014 trips: - Sunday 12
January, 9 February, 16 March, 13 April, 11 May, 15 June.
Trips will go if there are enough numbers and the weather is suitable.
First in gets a spot allocated. See our website for more details
<http://www.birdingwildlifetours.com.au/>
http://www.birdingwildlifetours.com.au/
Cheers
Neil Macumber
Manager
Albatross logo
Birdswing Birding & Wildlife Tours
C/- PO
POMONAL VIC 3381
Mob. 0413 628 306
www.birdingwildlifetours.com.au
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